Carton



July 26, 1955 ANDREWS ET AL 2,713,963

CARTON Filed Sept. 26, 1950 2 SheetsSheet 1 In zfen fora DAVID B. ANDREWS HAROLD F. RIEGE July 26, 1955 Filed Sept. 26, 1950 D. B. ANDREWS ET AL CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In Ire/1 fora DAVID B. ANDREWS HAROLD F. RIEGE Any United States Patent oAnroN David B. Andrews, Neenah, and Harold F. Riege,

Wausau, Wis, assignors to Marathon Corporation, Rothschild, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 26, sass, Serial No. 186,804

6 (Ilaims. (01.229-33) This invention relates to a folding carton and more particularly to a leak-proof folding carton.

Itis an object of this invention to provide an improved folding carton which is adapted to be set up from a flat folded condition, and when set up, to be more rigid and stable than previous cartons of this general construction. It is a furtherobject of this invention to provide in a carton structure means for retaining side walls in an erected position and more particularly to provide from a single 'flap extension of said carton a locking flap for looking a cover on the carton as well as means for maintaining the carton in erected position. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of our invention.

In general our invention relates to a carton construction having a bottom wall, front and rear walls hinged to the bottom wall and side walls hinged to the bottom wall which are connected to the ends of the front and rear wall by external bellows type flaps or folds. A' carton of this structure may be flattened for shipping by folding the side walls onto the bottom wall and then the front and rear walls on top of the side walls. The bellows folds or flaps are open when the carton is in the flat. The carton maybe conveniently set up from the flat position by pulling the side walls up to a vertical position which in turn forces the front and rear walls into a vertical position. In :one style of conventional carton of this type the side walls are maintained in vertical position by a single ply strip of board which is glued along the inner surface of the front wall. We have found, however, that the manufacturing tolerances in making cartons are such that this means is very inefficient.

' Reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is 'a one-piece blank for forming-a carton which is suitably cut and scored to provide a preferred form of "the carton of our invention.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of a carton made from the blank of Figure 1 in partially erected position.

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2. V l

Figure 4 is a section taken along line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a two-piece carton incorporating the structural features of our invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing 'a modification of our invention.

Figure 7 is a partial section taken along line 7-7 of Figure 8 showing the inside front wall of a carton which is still another modification of our invention, and

Figure 8 .is 'afragmentary plan view partially in "section illustrating more clearly the modification of Figure 7.

The carton of Figures land 2 comprises a tray-portion 1 anda liinged cover portion 2. The tray portion includes a bottom wall 3, front wall 4, rear wall 5 and side walls 6 *and The front and rear, or intermediate, walls 4 :and 5 are connected to the side walls 6 and '7 *by bellows flaps or folds '8 which in the preferred embodiment are integral with the end intermediate side walls, beingdefin'ed ice by suitable score lines 9 and 19. Adiagonal score line 11 radiating from the intersection of the side walls with the bottom wall and adjacent intermediate walls facilitates the folding of the bellows flap or webbing 8.

The cover portion 2 consists of a top panel 12 hinged to the rear panel 5 and having side walls 13, 14 and a front or intermediate wall or panel 15. The side walls 13 and 14 are provided with hinged flaps 16 adjacent the front wall which are adapted to be glued to the front panel 15.

In forming the carton from the blank triangular segments 2% of the flaps 8 are folded along score lines '9 and 11 to overlie the outside face of the side walls 6 and '7 and are glued thereto as shown more clearly in Figure 2. When the carton is knocked down the side walls overlie the bottom wall and the front and rear walls overlie the bottom wall and the side walls. To erect a car-ton as shown in Figure 2 the side walls are pulled into vertical position which action automatically forces the front and rear walls into vertical position. This action of the side walls and the adjacent front and rear or intermediate walls and the bellows connection between these walls is conventional in cartons of the above type and one feature of our invention relates specifically to locking means for maintaining the side walls in vertical position.

The locking means includes a flap which is hinged along the edge of the front wall 4 of the carton by score line 26. A medial score line 27 divides the flap lengthwise into substantially equal panels 28 and 29. By folding outer panel 28 over upon inner panel 29 a flap of double thickness is formed which then is folded along score line 26 upon the inside surface of the front wall and outer panel 23 is glued thereto. flap 25 is less than the length of the front wall by an amount substantially equal 'to the combined thicknesses of the side walls together with the triangular portions 20 'of the webbings 8 which are glued to the side walls. By

this arrangement it is seen in Figure 2 that the side wall when in vertical position is locked behind and abuts the ends of the double flap. In prior cartons a single turn over has been used to maintain the vertical Walls but We have found. that variations in tolerance in commercial manufacture result in the single ply fiap being of insuffi- 15. The locking flap 30 is formed by cut lines or slits .137, 38 and 39 in inner panel '29 of flap '25. The look ing fiap is thus hinged along score line 26 to the front wall '4, and when the panels 28 and 29 are folded upon each other to provide the means for locking the side walls .in position, the locking flap 3% will extend forward as is clearly illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

When the carton is set up substantially as shown in Figure 2 with the front edges of walls 6 and 7 locked in position by panel 25 and the rear ends locked by protuberances 32, it may be filled'w'ith a commodity, as for example, peas or beans. After filling the cover 2 is folded over upon tray 1. in this closed position the side walls 14 "overlie'the walls 6 and 7, including the folds 8,

and the front panel 15 overlies the front wall 4. The locking flap 30 resiliently engages the inner surface of front panel 15 and is thus adapted to engage abutment edges 31 if there is any tendency for the cover to open. Thus panel 25 with flap 30 cut therefrom, serves both to lock the walls in vertical position as well as to lock the cover in closed position.

The length of the In Figure 5 there is illustrated a two-piece carton employing our improved locking means. The carton comprises tray and cover 41. The tray has bottom Wall 42, side walls 43 and 44, and end or intermediate walls 45 and 46. Bellows folds 47 connect the intermediate and side walls in the same manner as in the carton of Figure 2. Locking means at each end of the tray comprises a flap 49 hinged to the top of the intermediate Wall along score line 50. The flap includes an outer panel 51 folded over on an inner panel 52. The outer panel is adhered to the inside face of the intermediate wall. The flap 49 is narrower than the intermediate wall so that the side walls can snap in behind the ends of the flap as in the carton of Figure 2. A cover locking flap 53 is cut out of inner panel 52 in the same manner as previously described and folds outwardly along line St). The cover 41 comprises a top wall 54, side walls 56 and 57, and intermediate walls 58 and 59 secured by glue flaps 60 to the side walls. The glue flaps are shaped to provide abutment edges 61 which cooperate with the cover locking flaps 53 to lock the cover over the tray.

In Figure 6 is shown a modification of our improved means for locking the side walls of the carton of Figure 2. In this figure side wall 6 and front or intermediate wall 4 are shown in set up position. Wall 6 is held vertical by a flap which is hinged along line 71 to the top of wall 4 and folded to overlie the inside face of wall 4. Like flap 25 previously described, it is narrower than the front wall. A corner portion 72 of the flap 70 is folded along line 73 under the flap whereby the flap is two plies thick at its end 74 immediately adjacent the side Wall 6. To further facilitate the protrusion of the doubled portion of the flap a score line 75 may be provided which acts as a hinge separating the adhered portion 76 of the flap from the folded end; and flap 70 may be further scored, as at 83, to facilitate protrusion of the flap below hinge line 71. A cover looking flap 77 may be cut out of flap 70 just as in the modification of Figure 2.

In Figures 7 and 8 there is shown a modification of the carton of Figure 6 wherein the end of the flap 70 is caused to protrude by protuberances or score lines 80 in the front wall 4 and 81 and 82 in the flap 70, the protuberance in each of wall 4 and flap 70 being directed 'toward the other of these elements. Lines 80 and 81 are alined and opposed thereby forming abutting protuberances or ridges which force the end of flap 70 away from the inside surface of the front wall a distance greater than a single ply of paperboard just as in the modifications of Figures 2 and 6. It is obvious that the protuberances in either of wall 4 or flap 70 could be eliminated, leaving only the protuberances in the other of these elements, Without eliminating the ply-multiplying effect, but with a mere lessening of that effect.

In the carton structures shown the bellows flaps or folds are integral with the intermediate and-side walls but it is to be understood that the webbing may be severed from the side walls, as, for example, along score lines 9, and secured thereto solely by the overlying glued portions 20. This style is conventional. By having the webbing integral we obtain a leak-proof carton which is particularly adaptable for handling liqutid packed frozen foods. It is further to be understood that modifications of Figures 6, 7 and 8 are likewise applicable to the two piece carton of Figure 5.

Other advantages and modifications of our invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. No limitations are intended by the above examples except such Wall, a portion of said folds being adhered to the outside face of said side walls, locking means on the inside face of said intermediate wall operable to hold said side walls perpendicular to said bottom wall when the tray portion is set up, said locking means comprising a flap having end portions two plies thick connected to the top edge of said intermediate wall, said flap being folded to overlie the inside surface of said intermediate wall, and a single ply cover locking flap formed by cut lines in said first named flap connected to the top edge of said intermediate wall and folded to extend outwardly therefrom, said cover portion having a top wall, a pair of opposed side walls and an intermediate wall each connected to said top wall and a glue flap on each of said cover side walls adhered to the inside surface of said cover intermediate wall, each of said glue flaps having its upper edge spaced substantially distant from said cover top wall to engage said cover locking fiap when the cover is closed over the tray, to lock the cover portion in carton-closed position.

2. In a folding carton comprising a tray portion and an overlying cover portion, said tray portion having a bottom wall, an intermediate wall, and a pair of opposed side walls adjacent said intermediate wall, bellows folds connecting each of said side walls to said intermediate wall, a portion of each of said folds being adhered to the outside face of said side walls, locking means on the inside face of said intermediate wall operable to abut said side walls and thus hold them perpendicular to said bottom Wall when the tray portion is set up, said locking means comprising a flap connected to the top edge of said intermediate Wall divided longitudinally to provide outer and inner panels, the outer panel being folded over upon the inner panel making said flap two plies thickness at its ends, said flap being folded whereby the outer panel overlies the inside surface of the intermediate wall,

means for adhering a portion of said outer panel thereto, and a cover locking flap formed by cut lines in the inner panel of said first named flap connected to the top edge of said intermediate wall and extending outwardly therefrom, said cover portion having a top wall, a pair of opposed side walls and an intermediate wall each connected to said top wall and a glue flap on each of said cover side walls adhered to the inside surface of said cover intermediate wall, each of said glue flaps having its upper edge spaced substantially distant from said cover top wall to engage said cover locking flap when the cover is closed over the tray, to lock the cover portion in carton-closed position.

3. A folding carton comprising a tray and cover therefor, said tray having a bottom wall, front and rear walls, and a pair of opposed side walls, bellows folds connecting each of said side walls to said front and rear walls, a portion of each of said folds being adhered to the outside face of said side walls, locking means on the inside face of said front and rear walls operable to abut said side walls and thus hold them perpendicular to said bottom wall when the tray portion is set up, said locking means comprising flaps connected to the top edges of said front and rear walls, each flap being divided longitudinally to provide outer and inner panels, the outer panel being folded over upon the inner panel making said flaps two plies thickness at their ends, said flaps each being folded whereby the outer panel overlies the inside surface of the respective front and rear walls, means for adhering a portion of each of said outer panels thereto, locking flaps formed by cut lines in each of the inner panels of said first named flaps connected to the top edges of said front and rear walls and extending outwardly therefrom, said cover having a top panel, side walls and front and rear walls connected to said top panel, and glue flaps on said side walls adhered to the inside face of said front and rear walls, the upper edges of said glue flaps adjacent said cover top panel being spaced substantially distant from said top panel to engage the free edge of said cover locking flaps when the cover is closed over the tray, to lock the cover in closed position.

4. In a folding paperboard carton a tray portion having a bottom wall, an intermediate wall, and a pair of opposed side walls adjacent said intermediate wall, bellows folds connecting each of said side walls to said intermediate wall, a portion of said folds being adhered to the outside face of said side walls, locking means on the inside face of said intermediate wall operable to abut said side walls and retain same perpendicular to said bottom wall when the tray portion is set up, said locking means including a flap connected to the top edge of said intermediate wall and folded to overlie the inside surface of said wall, means adhering a portion of said flap to said inside surface, and means integral with the end portions of said flap contacting said inside surface and spacing said end portions away from said inside surface.

5. The carton of claim 4 wherein said last named means comprises protuberances in said flap directed toward said wall.

6. The carton of claim 4 wherein said last named means comprises a portion of said flap folded thereunder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 907,753 Dennis Dec. 29, 1908 973,068 Putnam Oct. 18, 1910 1,646,665 Smith Oct. 25, 1927 1,926,366 Bergstein Sept. 12, 1933 2,097,891 Munce Nov. 2, 1937 2,153,333 Lowey Apr. 4, 1939 2,179,421 Murray Nov. 7, 1939 2,369,385 Carruth et al. Feb. 13, 1945 2,505,442 Thomas Apr. 25, 1950 2,531,507 Goodyear Nov. 28, 1950 2,545,802 Bergstein Mar. 20, 1951 

